Obsidian & Ivory

Welcome to the Second City

The Journey to the Second City is nearly complete, the story begins.

3rd day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

The journey was not easy, but it was clearly harder on some than on others. To their credit, the Mantis crew seems to be well-seasoned and entirely capable of both handling the voyage and not snickering at their less-composed passengers where they might be overheard.

The passengers themselves are an incredibly varied bunch. There aren’t enough ferries for people to be picky, so you have all been forced together in altogether too close quarters – a handful of Phoenix, some Unicorn, a couple Crab, and even a lone Dragon bushi – it’s somewhat surprising that things haven’t escalated beyond a few heated exchanges of words.

After a choppy few weeks at sea, the strange coast of the former Ivory Kingdoms — now simply “the Colonies” — comes into view. Your captain, Yoritomo Iyama, explains that the Second City itself isn’t visible from the shore, but those lights you see are the Aerie (a small Crane city) and your destination: Kalani’s Landing. Named after a Mantis celebrity, the Landing is the primary port of the Colonies. The captain goes on to explain that whatever brings you out here, it’s best for everyone that you don’t linger dockside for longer than is necessary. The workers are not all samurai, and are thus… well… creatures of habit. it would be a terrible shame if one of you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it resulted in an accident. There are many establishments for people of your taste and stature a few blocks inland, away from the waterfront, and if you’re anxious to travel on to the Second City then you will likely find information on caravans there.

The good news is that you’ve made good time. Your superiors do not expect you to report for your new postings for another week, which – even accounting for the 2-day journey to the Second City from Kalani’s Landing – gives you some time to adjust and get acquainted with your surroundings.

Of Caravans and Connections

4th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

It is essentially impossible to convey with language the physical and emotional experience that is a fresh meal and a night in a real bed after three weeks at sea… Suffice to say that you wake up feeling refreshed and significantly better about the state of things. The worries and aggravations of the trip seem quite a bit easier in the light of the new day.

Lord Jade shines in the sky, and the air is as temperate and moist as you’d expect for the coast – though notably warm for Winter. All in all, it is shaping up to be a good day for travel. At a glance, Kalani’s Landing seems very much like any other port town, the likes of which are all over Rokugan’s coastling. Even if you do have a few extra days, it seems wasteful to spend them here.

Fortunately, it did not take you much effort to find the name and location of the caravan leaving Kalani’s Landing for Two Forks City today. More fortunately still, it seems that local custom is such that caravans are very, VERY welcoming to samurai passengers – offering low fares, open welcomes, and plentiful seats. It occurs to you that this might be more pragmatism than altruism, since more samurai usually means more protection for the caravan as a whole, but it seems an arrangement that benefits all involved.

All that remains is to gather your things and follow the information to the departure point. The caravan you are looking for is led by a woman named Soshi Inoue, and will travel as far as Two Forks, at which point you may find another caravan to the Second City, or perhaps choose to linger there for awhile…

New Places, Old Problems

5th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

The rest of the trip in to Twin Forks City passes in something of a haze. You awaken from the previous night’s encounter feeling as if you got no true rest at all, and you consider yourself genuinely fortunate to have the caravan to keep the pace.

The trip takes most of the second day as well, thanks to a problem with one of the wagons, and you don’t arrive in Twin Forks City until almost time for dinner. The Lion passenger doesn’t seem to be faring much better than any of you, but he does seem vastly improved from the day prior. His demeanor is alert and thoughtful, but also closed. The few members of the group that do attempt to engage him get a taciturn nod of greeting (and possibly gratitude? It’s very hard to say…) but he otherwise makes himself impossible to approach politely.

So, you find yourself with some free time as the journey trudges onward. The memories of Yume-do raise many questions, but most of them fall somewhere between impolite, insulting, and downright crazy on the spectrum of public discussion topics, so any musings in that direction are best done as quietly as possible amongst those who were involved.

The Other Side of the Coin

7th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

In some ways, the stay in Twin Forks City has been comforting. The city has some pretty clear and entrenched problems, but they are very familiar Rokugani problems. That said, it seems best to leave before they actually become your problems.

Finding a caravan for the last leg is a little more challenging than you’ve come to expect. There seem to be a lot more regulations around caravans leaving Twin Fork City, and the first few places you inquire assure you that they are quite unable to bring you along.

After a little legwork, you are able to find a small caravan run by a pair of ronin that are happy to have some additional guests. They are brothers – the older (who seems to be in charge) is Takuma, and the younger is Jurou – and after a few careful questions about who you are and where you’ve come from, they welcome you.

Questions and Answers

8th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

Having limped into the Second City, you report your early arrival and are encouraged to take a day to recuperate and acquaint yourself with the city. Your superior doesn’t have a task for you right away, but they make it clear that you shouldn’t get completely lost – if you check in daily, they may have something for you before the date you were officially due to arrive.

So, you get a day off. The Second City is very large, and how you choose to begin exploring it is up to you.

Allies of Convenience

11th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

The Second City has managed to be a surprise. On some level, you expected things to be strange and different based on the stories you’ve heard, but then it manages to catch you off-guard with things that are completely and entirely the same.

Everyone went their separate ways following the arrival into the city. You expect to see one another again – you’ve been told to expect the Colonies will feel surprisingly small very quickly – but for now it’s time to focus on settling into your new duties…

Ghosts of the Past

12th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

The group finds themselves back together, apparently having earned a reputation for level-headed problem solving under… unique circumstances. The leader of the expedition is the niece of none other than Matsu Shun, which might partially explain where some have picked up that idea.

You’re not entirely certain what favors were exchanged to gather together such a colorful group, but sometimes it’s best not to think about such things.

Aside from a surprise encounter with some local wildlife, the trip went fairly smoothly, and you have arrived at your destination – but it’s immediately evident that this is more than was bargained for…

There and Back Again

13th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

The ruins proved to be significantly more unsettling than anyone expected. Older, more sinister, and more significant as well, it has been difficult not to feel somewhat overwhelmed by what the group discovered under the ground. Still, you feel reasonably confident that you’ve gleaned all the information there is to be learned without risking a confrontation with the stronghold’s guardian…

It’s time to put together some final notes and return to the Second City.

15 Minutes of Fame

20th day of the month of the Dog, 1204 IC

It has been almost a week since your return to the Second City, and (somewhat redacted) news of your discovery spread quickly. Ikoma Shimabara has been spinning the stories of the adventure with minimal exaggeration, and painting the group as an ideal combination that is greater than the sum of its parts.

She anticipates that the courts will lose its sudden interest in anthropology very soon, but in the interim your respective clans are keen to get the most out of your celebrity. As such, you are expected to attend social gatherings like this one…

Chapter 1: Paradoxes of Honor

6th day of the month of the Rat, 1204 IC

A month and a half have passed since the end of the last adventure. The court’s attention quickly turned to less… dusty pursuits, but not before the group caught the attentions of the Ivory Champion. Disregarding propriety, he sought to use his position to draft you all into the ranks of the Ivory Magistrates. In spite of existing duties and limited resources, the ambassadors were hard-pressed to deny the highest-ranking Imperial representative in the Colonies.

When the negotiations were finally settled, Shimabara is the only one who doesn’t seem to have been personally affected. The bushi of the group have been recruited, the shugenja were shuffled out of sight, and – as fate would have it – they’ve both ended up in the same place, at least for now.

The group has made its return to Twin Forks City, where the newly promoted yoriki are to report to the office of Seppun Mukuro for their first assignment.